Chapter 1: Welcome to the Infinity Game
A sharp breath escaped his lips as he jolted awake. His vision was a blur, his heartbeat a relentless drum in his chest. His lungs burned as if he had been suffocating just moments ago.
"Where… am I?" he muttered, his voice hoarse.
The ground beneath him was cold and hard. He reached out, feeling rough stone walls surrounding him, enclosing him in a space barely large enough to stretch his legs. It was a prison. A cage.
Before he could process his fear, a bright blue glow flickered in front of him. A holographic screen appeared, floating in the air. A deep, mechanical voice resonated from it.
> "Welcome to the Infinity Game."
"Current Level: 0."
"Survive. Defeat anyone in your path."
"Warning: Failure to level up means death."
The screen flickered and vanished, leaving behind an eerie silence.
Galvin's breath came in shallow gasps. His fingers trembled as he pressed them against his temple. Infinity Game? Level 0? What the hell is this?
His body felt weak, but his instincts screamed at him to move. He gritted his teeth and pushed against the metal bars of his cage. To his surprise, they creaked open without resistance.
He stepped out cautiously, his legs unsteady. The place was massive—a seemingly endless dungeon of cold stone corridors, dimly lit by floating orbs of eerie blue light. The air was thick with the scent of blood and something rotten.
A distant sound echoed through the halls. A clicking, skittering noise.
Then—
CRASH!
Something lunged at him from the shadows.
A massive creature, resembling a giant crab, its jagged claws glinting under the dim light. Its eyes, hollow and soulless, locked onto him. Before he could react—
SLASH!
Pain erupted across his chest as the creature's claw ripped through his shirt, leaving a deep gash. He stumbled back, gasping. Blood seeped from his wound.
Am I going to die?
The monster loomed over him, raising its claw for the final strike.
Then—
SHING!
A flash of silver.
The crab-like creature let out an ear-piercing screech as a sword sliced clean through its body. It collapsed to the ground, its body twitching before going completely still.
Galvin blinked.
Standing before him was a man, clad in tattered black clothes, his sword dripping with dark, oozing blood. His face was sharp, worn, and filled with exhaustion. His eyes, however, held a fierce determination.
He looked down at Galvin, unimpressed.
"Survive, kiddo," he muttered before turning away.
Galvin's body trembled as he clutched his bleeding chest. His breathing was ragged. This wasn't a dream. This was real.
"P-Please," he choked out, reaching toward the man's back. "Save me."
The swordsman stopped. He let out a sigh, then turned around.
"What's your name?" he asked, his tone indifferent.
Galvin hesitated. His mind was still reeling, but he forced himself to speak.
"My name is… is Galvin."
The man nodded slightly, his gaze unreadable. Then, without another word, he sheathed his sword.
"Then remember this, Galvin."
He turned toward the dark corridors ahead, his voice calm but firm.
"Only the strong make it out of here alive."
And with that, the Infinity Game had begun.